Illini @ M

So, we missed the first half of the first half.  ESPN News is unavailable; to give ESPN just a little bit of credit, they did not use the entire transition for commercials.

Michigan and the Big Ten are big ratings.

The best player in the whole world is not playing for Illinois.  That, according to coach Underwood.

Back to the game.  It is going to end at 40-40 and heaven help the next game on TV.  Generally, when it is close it favors Michigan.  Most teams do not have the talent to stay with Michigan for a whole game.

Cockburn, I know.  He is the one who brought Illinois back to to better than average in the B1G.  Brad Underwood, how did he turn it around?

Right now Wagner is not in the lineup.  Neither is Livers.  Illinois is dominating; the place is dead quiet and nothing seems to be piped-in.  If Michigan doesn't turn it up they are going to lose.  What is with the lineup, is this some kind of overcoaching?

19-12.

Michigan is getting some steals and turnovers now.  They are still on the verge of scoring about 20 points in the first half.  How can you win if you don't score?

It is understandable, a little letdown against Indiana.  But this one?  Michigan looks bad.  The Illinois second team is out-hustling them.  Michigan is standing around.  They are having trouble with the Illini gameplan; Michigan is being outcoached.

27-20.  29-20.  Every Michigan player has made a dumb play:  Johns, Jr., Wagner, Brown, Jr.  I have yet to see Michigan get a rebound.  Or make a 3.  I have seen a lot of Illinois players open under the basket.  Mike Smith is not playing or doing anything either.

33-22.  Now I am listening to the experts and I hate it.  I'd rather get a Ph.D at Baylor or West Virginia.

It is like watching a Jim Harbaugh-coached Michigan team.  Minnesota is 13-12, 6-12 in the Big Ten.  This game is like reliving that only loss which was a blowout.  Tonight this Michigan team doesn't have it.

42-29.  45-29.  I honestly do not think Illinois looks that great, although in terms of postgame pressers all praise goes to them.  Michigan looks terrible.  Dickinson at least showed some effort and enthusiasm, and with Cockburn out the post is the only way for Michigan to score and lame 2-pointers to boot.  Michigan is not going to win this game with Austin Davis the only one scoring.  Nice, Davis sits on Livers and injures him.

Nice put back by Illinois.

Wagner looks as though he just got off a plane from Berlin.  Triple-teamed hook shot from 12 feet.

49-32.  51-32 with a foul and one coming.  52-32.  Still 13:30 left, WTF is Juwan doing?  55-34.  If Terrance Williams II comes in again I am turning it off.  Not a lot of progression from him and Zeb Jackson.

This is boring game.  It is just centers fighting over two points.

I have lost a lot of enthusiasm for, in chronological order, the home and home with MSU, the Big Ten tournament, and the NCAA tournament.  And of course they did not take place.

What did I miss.  Wagner threw it away on offense.  Then he committed a technical?  64-36.

I'm gonna make a bold statement.  I remember someone on mgoblog posting about how he wants Juwan to coach Michigan forever.  To me the jury is still out.  I remember last year's recruiting class and those who never showed-up; I don't mean for a big game, I mean to campus.  One and dones are going to be a lot of trouble too.  And in this game Juwan Howard didn't do shit.

I'm turning it off as it is dinner time.  I am going to watch Howard in the post-game presser video and I will be looking to see some serious humility.

66-38 Illinois with 7:53 left.  T on Howard.